Hi Fred,

Yes, there are many ingredients in lotions, shampoos, hair products -- even body washes, soaps, and laundry detergents -- that can cause some people allergic reactions.

Have you seen an allergist? An allergist is a specialty physician who can do some tests to help figure out exactly what you may be allergic to. A dermatologist may also be able to help you figure out just what ingredients cause your skin reactions.

If you have food allergies, there are literally hundreds of products that may bother you. Here is an article that lists the 8 most common food allergens and the words that may appear on ingredients lists to indicate their presence:

Finding Hidden Food Allergens

For example, Arachis oil is common in lotions, but it's derived from peanuts, which can cause severe allergic reactions in people allergic to peanuts.

It is possible that you are not exactly "allergic" to some of these products, but the fragrances and odors in them might irritate your eyes, nose or skin.

Dr. James Thompson on this site wrote an article all about that here:

Rhinitis: Fragrances And What You Can Do To Avoid Them

Here's another tip you may want to try: Look online for allergy-friendly, irritant-free, trendy beauty products online or in a local health food or natural food store. These products may eliminate the ingredients causing you problems, but still satisfy your significant other's desire for prefumey beauty products.